Week Six: SEC Spotlight, Utah State Close Games

KFord projects six of Utah State’s remaining seven games will be one-possession affairs from mid-October through late November, with USU favored only for its Oct. 17 homecoming; other models differ, but improved metrics and a history of close results have raised the Aggies’ bowl hopes if they can secure roughly three more wins. This week’s college slate features pivotal Top‑25 and rivalry games that could topple unbeaten teams, most notably No. 16 Vanderbilt at No. 10 Alabama (Alabama listed about a 10.5-point favorite), while Auburn is on a bye. Other marquee matchups include traditional rivalries such as Clemson at UNC, Kentucky at Georgia, Illinois–Purdue and in-state Big 12 showdowns, and service-academy contests that will affect the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy race. High-school coverage shows Winnipeg played eight varsity games Thursday with two shutouts, Miami Valley enters Week 7 with multiple marquee matchups and eight remaining unbeatens, and Utah teams begin a three-week stretch before postseason play starts Oct. 24. In Alaska, the final regular-season weekend will decide Division 1–3 playoff berths and seeding, with several do-or-die games determining travel and seed outcomes for the postseason.